


Waiting for Dennis Reynolds

by orphan_account



Category: It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Genre: Completed, M/M, set after s14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:21:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21892819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Dennis is scared. Scared of Mac, and scared of his feelings for Mac. He doesn’t process these emotions very well, and the two fall into turmoil.
Relationships: MacDennis
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

It was autumn, and the weather outside was horrendous. Rain was coming in downpours, so the gang decided to stay inside, as they usually did. That day, the fascination was with everyone standing behind Dennis who was sat at the computer, ogling over the screen as he signed up for a dating website. 

“Interests,” Dennis rubbed his hands together. “I’m at a block, there’s so many damn things to fill out. Mac, what are my interests?”

“Being an asshole?”

“Okay, douche,” Dennis raised an eyebrow at Mac, who was standing with his arms folded. He was the only one of the group who was mildly uninterested. “Anyone else?”

“Harassing women,” Dee suggested, to which Dennis slammed his hands on the table.

“Obviously, none of you are of any use to me,” he snapped. Dennis was obviously getting bored of this activity, and the attention of the rest of the gang had suddenly lost its appeal. “Begone! I will do it alone.”

Dee held her hands up, whistling in annoyance, but didn’t argue. Her, Frank and Charlie all left the office, besides Mac. He stood, not looking over Dennis’ shoulder, but remained in the room. Firmly, he closed the door as everyone left. Dennis turned around, frowning in confusion. 

“Why are you still here?”

“I just don’t get you,” Mac snapped. “You haven’t made anything that could be considered an attempt to meet any women for a year. No chatting them up at a bar, no D.E.N.N.I.S system, no nothing. Why bother with a dating site now?”

“Jealous?” Dennis smirked, before turning back to the computer. 

“Not at all. I just think you’re being lazy,” Mac said. “At least make an effort. I doubt you’ll even reply to any woman who messages you on there. In fact, I can guarantee you won’t.”

“Whatever, dude,” Dennis shrugged. “You’re just irritated that you still don’t have a boyfriend, so you’re taking it out on me. If you’re not gonna contribute, then, well... fuck off?”

“Maybe I will fuck off,” Mac glowered, staring into the back of Dennis’ head, until he swept out of the office, slamming the door. 

“Woah-ho-ho!” Dee chortled as Mac stormed through the bar towards the door. “What’s got your panties in a twist?”

“Dennis is a bastard, that’s what,” Mac said without stopping his stride, opening the bar door and exiting through it. Dee raised an eyebrow, sharing a look with Charlie, before forgetting about it already and carrying on with tending the bar. 

***

Dennis strutted into the bar, holding his iPhone between his forefinger and thumb. It was the next day, and Mac, Charlie, Dee and Frank were playing cards. 

“Get ready to eat your words, Mac,” Dennis smirked, strolling up to the bar and swiftly sitting down. “I matched with a hottie, we chatted all night and this evening, we're meeting up for a drink.”

“Great,” Mac pursed his lips. “Good for you.”

“I know, right?” Dennis elected to ignore Mac’s blatant sarcasm. 

Charlie placed a card down on the table, before sipping his beer. 

“Should we be expecting a tape?” Charlie input suggestively. 

“Oh definitely. She’s God damn beautiful, this one. She won’t be able to say no to my gorgeous looks and natural charm.”

“Yeah, underneath makeup, hair dye and a fake personality,” Dee joked. 

“Fake personality?” Dennis spluttered with laughter. “No, Dee. This personality?” He gestured to himself. “All natural, baby.”

“Yeah, so adult and headstrong that you can’t even eat an apple with the skin on,” Dee said. 

“The skin is full of toxins,” Mac said, to which Dennis reinforced quite forcefully that yes, the skin is totally filled with toxins. 

“Whatever,” Dee scoffed. 

And so the afternoon continued. Mac was avoiding Dennis like the plague - something about Dennis entering the world of dating again made Mac uncomfortable. Maybe it was because Dennis was getting older, and besides the last couple of days, Dennis had been tired, sarcastic and totally isolated of any emotion. He seemed excited today, back to his usual self. But Mac feared that after this girl had been and gone, Dennis would be back to acting like an old man. 

Mac went home on his own that evening, as Dennis was going to the date straight from Paddy’s.

It was late evening when Dennis returned home. Mac was sat on the sofa, sulking whilst Taken played on the television. Not that he was paying any attention. 

The door opened, Dennis entering with his arms around a conventionally attractive woman, with long blonde hair and pink lipstick. She didn’t seem like Dennis’ type, so Mac frowned deeply when they entered. This seemed to Mac like Dennis was trying to prove a point, as he walked past Mac towards his bedroom. He smirked as he passed Mac, raising an eyebrow before turning away, giggling with the Barbie-like girl.

Dennis’ door closed, and Mac let out an angry sigh. Blatantly, Dennis was trying to make Mac jealous. Why would Mac be jealous though? It’s not like he liked Dennis, at least romantically. Hell, he was struggling to like him platonically either at the moment. It left Mac much to think about. Why was Dennis acting the way he was?

About twenty minutes passed, when suddenly, Dennis’ door opened. Mac had dozed off on the sofa, but the sound of the door swinging open with so much force immediately woke him up.

The girl Dennis had been with swept out, Dennis following her whilst buttoning up his shirt. 

“Candy, wait!” Dennis called, to which the woman, who’s name was apparently Candy, stopped and turned round. 

“You seriously think I’m staying? After that performance?” She snapped, looking to Mac who was sat, stunned and utterly confused by what was going on. 

“Uh, what’s going on?” Mac asked. 

“Your little friend here couldn’t even get it up,” she huffed. “Didn’t even want to kiss me.”

Mac raised an eyebrow at Dennis, who looked away immediately. 

“And...”

“And I’m leaving,” she finished. “He’s probably a faggot.”

Mac stood up swiftly, walking towards Candy slowly. He towered over her - she was no more than five foot three, and raised an eyebrow. 

“What the fucks your problem?”

“Excuse me?” She retorted. “What, are you both gay or something perverted like?”

“I’m gay, sure. Dennis isn’t. But either way,” Mac said dangerously calmly. “Nobody uses that word under our roof. Get out.”

“Whatever,” Candy narrowed her eyes at Mac, before storming out, slamming the door behind her. 

“Well that was uncalled for,” Mac regained his normal personality, turning to face Dennis who was standing awkwardly by his bedroom door. 

“Homophobic,” Dennis raised an eyebrow, exhaling deeply. 

They stood in silence for a moment, before Mac spoke up. 

“So what happened?”

“I just wasn’t feeling it,” Dennis replied quietly. 

“Evidently,” Mac chuckled, feeling a little better than before. Something about Dennis failing so miserably with that woman made Mac feel almost accomplished, not that he’d done anything. “Better luck next time, eh?”

“Whatever, dude,” Dennis mumbled, before going back into his room, not even saying goodnight. Mac sighed, before going to bed himself. 

He couldn’t help thinking, though. What on earth was going on?


	2. Chapter 2

It was the next day, and Dee was leaning over the bar to Dennis, talking quietly, but angrily, nevertheless. 

“It’s not gonna work!” She hissed, looking around to make sure that the rest of the gang weren’t around. They weren’t - the bar was empty. “You’re just... playing games!”

“Playing games is what I do,” Dennis defended. 

“Oh, this is different and you know it,” she snapped. “This isn’t some chick you’re putting through your system. This is... this is somebody you’re actually fucking feeling for.”

“Well I don’t know how else to deal with it!” Dennis rubbed his eyes, exhausted. “What exactly do you suggest?”

“Uh, bozo?” Dee chuckled incredulously. “Tell him?”

Dennis spluttered helplessly. 

“No!” He eventually managed to say. “I need to win him over.”

“You’re just making him feel bad-“ Dee was cut off by the front door opening. It was Mac, walking into the bar with messy, un-styled hair. He looked tired, but he was obviously holding his head up, pretending that he wasn’t. 

“What’s up guys?” He greeted, shrugging off his leather jacket. 

Dee glowered at Dennis, nudging him and tilting her head towards Mac. 

“Rip the band-aid off,” she hissed, as quiet as possible. Dennis sighed, obviously nervous, and gave in. He stood up, scratching the back of his neck, and walked over to Mac tentatively. 

“Uh, Mac,” Dennis said, making Mac look up from his phone that he was scrolling aimlessly through. “Look, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Sure Dennis, what’s up?” Mac asked, pocketing his phone. 

“I, uh, basically just wanted to ask...” he trailed off, suddenly frozen, terrified. His brain flipped on it’s side, and suddenly stopped. “I started chatting to a new girl online. Should I go for it?” 

Mac’s face fell. He’d got his hopes up. What for, he didn’t know. But to be slapped in the face with another girl online? It was painful. 

“Do what you want,” Mac frowned. “Let’s just hope she’s attractive enough for you to bang her. You know, unlike Candy.”

Dennis sneered, and walked away, giving Dee a regretful look. She rolled her eyes, glancing between Mac and Dennis, shaking her head. 

Dennis looked around helplessly for a moment, before deciding to go to the back office. 

“I’m gonna go and look on that dating site,” Dennis said, trying to regain some normalcy from that interaction with Mac. And so, he walked round the bar and entered the office. 

Mac sighed, and went and sat on one of the bar stools. Dee, who was behind the bar, pulled out a beer from the fridge and handed it to him. 

“Looks like you could use a drink,” Dee said, to which Mac smiled, half-heartedly.

“Yeah, something like that,” Mac raised an eyebrow, taking a sip out of the bottle. “Do you know what’s going on with Dennis?”

“Haven’t got a clue,” Dee lied seamlessly. 

“It’s just...” Mac chewed his lip, before taking another swig. “I keep trying to prove myself to him. I feel like he’s just annoyed with me, like he hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you.”

“Well he says it enough,” Mac snapped. “He’s just flaunting around with these girls and I feel like he’s trying to make a point.”

“Dennis has been with girls loads of times before,” Dee pushed, trying to get some information out of the unsuspecting man. “Why do you care now?”

Mac paused. 

“I don’t really know,” he admitted. “Not that it matters.”

“It totally matters,” Dee insisted. “Mac, be honest with me - is it a gay thing?”

Mac blinked, raising both eyebrows, stunned that she’d even suggested such a thing. 

“What do you mean ‘gay thing’ like-“

“What I'm basically asking is... are you jealous?” Dee asked. “Of the girls?”

“Not of the girls. Being treated the way Dennis treats his woman is the last thing I’d want.”

“Then what is it?” 

Mac groaned, running his hands down his face. 

“You’ve been trying to prove yourself to him so much recently. And the texts, at the zoo?”

“Dee, butt out-“

“Just spit it out, Mac.”

“No!” He exclaimed. “Even if I did like him like that, he would never, ever reciprocate it.”

“Hmm,” Dee hummed. 

“Where are Frank and Charlie, anyway?” Mac asked, desperately changing the subject. 

“With Cricket, at the junk yard,” Dee said. “Looking for gold nuggets or something stupid.”

“Very stupid,” Mac agreed, and so the conversation came to an end. 

Dee was quite pleased with herself. She now knew that Dennis liked Mac, and that Mac probably liked Dennis. She had the choice to play Cupid or let it play out naturally. Either way, she was all-knowing, and held all the power. Not that either Mac nor Dennis knew this.

Mac had been thinking that afternoon. Dennis was trying to make him jealous? It was Mac’s turn. That evening, when Dennis was heading out to his second date in two days, Mac didn’t go home. He went to The Rainbow, the local gay bar. He had a mission in his mind - find a beefcake, bring him back to the flat, and bang him, just to see how Dennis reacts.

And so Mac went about his mission. It didn’t take long for him to find a cute guy - Mac was quite an attractive man after all. He bought drinks for the guy, and they spent the evening talking at the bar, dancing suggestively, and drinking. At midnight, Mac invited him back to his place. Aaron was his name, and he gratefully accepted. 

And so they walked back to Mac and Dennis’ apartment. Mac only hoped Dennis was in. They opened the door - it was unlocked, and Dennis was sat on the sofa beside a new girl, the one he’d talked about earlier in the day. Mac and Aaron walked in, arms around each other’s shoulders, giggling. 

“Oh uh, hey Mac,” Dennis looked up quizzically, frowning deeply. “I didn’t know you were bringing somebody home.”

“It wasn’t planned,” Mac smirked, raising an eyebrow as he held eye contact with Dennis. He was almost challenging Dennis to say something, but Dennis looked away, pursing his lips. 

“Well, okay,” he shrugged, and so Mac and Aaron retired to Mac’s room.

Dennis suddenly returned to his tired, grumpy facade that he’d been enveloped in for the last few months. He found it near impossible to continue any conversation with the girl beside him, whose name he couldn’t even remember. 

The girl was getting irate. 

“I’m obviously in the middle of something here,” she snapped and stood up. 

“Wh, what?” Dennis spluttered, shaking his head. “No, you’re fine.”

“What, you’re not gay?” She raised an eyebrow, swinging her bag over her shoulder. “You’re either frigid or closeted. Hell, maybe both. Either way, I’m out of here.”

“Whatever,” Dennis waved her off, settling into the sofa, resting his head in one of his hands. 

The girl left, and almost as soon as she did, suggestive noises started to come from Mac’s bedroom. Dennis scowled to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. Mac was beating him at his own game. It made him consider, though. Was Mac trying to make him jealous? And what was behind that? Did Mac like Dennis back? Surely not, he thought. 

He went to bed in a fit of sadness, anger and confusion. If only he had the courage to just tell Mac how he felt. He trusted Dee enough to tell her his feelings about him, and if anybody was going to have a negative reaction, it was her. He just needed more time. 

Dennis did, however, come to a realisation as he laid in bed. Maybe making Mac jealous wasn’t the key. Maybe he had to distance himself instead. 

Dennis was desperate. And it was starting to show.


	3. Chapter 3

“Dennis,” Mac said. A couple of days had passed, and Dennis had been totally blanking Mac for most of the day. Mac was getting tired of it, so as evening turned into night, and the pair were the locking up the bar, he used this opportunity to try and find out what on earth was going on. Dennis was wiping the bar with a wet cloth, and Mac was collecting empty glasses and bottles from the tables. “Dennis.”

Dennis didn’t look up for a minute, before sighing heavily and looking up, not saying anything. 

“What’s going on with you?” Mac asked.

“What? Nothing,” Dennis snapped. Mac took a deep breath, closing his eyes in annoyance. 

“You’re ignoring me, dude,” Mac tried, looking at the floor awkwardly. 

“Don’t look away!” Dennis yelled. “Coward!”

“Den-“

“You can’t even look me in the fucking eye. God you’re pathetic! And you wonder why I’ve been ignoring you, you stupid fa- idiot!”

Mac pursed his lips, looking at the tray of glasses he was holding before looking at Dennis. Dennis felt a tightening in the pit of his stomach. He had gone too far. 

“You were gonna call me a faggot. Weren’t you?” Mac’s upper lip curled. 

“No,” Dennis lied, trying to brush off the situation by focusing on wiping the sides down. Mac slammed the tray down on the bar, so hard that a bottle fell off and smashed on the floor. “Mac-“

“Fuck off, Dennis,” he spat, trying not to let the tears that were threatening to spill fall before he’d left the bar. 

“Mac I didn’t...” Dennis tried, but Mac shot him a deadly glare. Dennis felt it in his soul - it felt like being stabbed and the knife being twisted. “Listen-“

Mac shook his head, biting his lip in an attempt to stifle a sob that was threatening to erupt. He was about to storm out, but before he did, he walked over to Dennis and leaned over the bar, poking him in the chest. 

“You,” Mac’s tears were starting to well in his eyes. “Are a horrible, horrible human being,” he said dangerously quietly. 

“I can live with that,” Dennis said with an almost threatening tone of voice. Mac blinked, and as he did, a single tear fell from his eye. Dennis was hurting inside, deeply, but he felt he needed to push Mac away as harshly as possible. Mac was also hurting inside, as he realised that any hope that he had of Dennis liking him back had just dwindled. It was like all the times Dennis claimed to hate Mac, but this time was so much worse. 

Mac maintained eye contact with Dennis for a moment, silently challenging to man up and take it back. It was after a couple of moments, he realised that wasn’t going to happen. And so, Mac kicked some of the broken glass on the floor and stormed out, slamming the front door as hard as possible as his tears finally started to flow, rapidly and catastrophically. He cried for the entire walk home, and didn’t stop. 

As the door closed, Dennis stopped wiping the sides down. He was alone, which meant he didn’t have to pretend to be emotionless. He exhaled shakily, sitting down at the bar, and buried his face in his hands. 

The front door opened. Dennis looked up expectantly, only to be disappointed. It was Dee. 

“Sorry, I left my phone,” she said casually, going to get her phone that was sat at the end of the bar. Dennis was trying his best to hold it together, but his hands trembled as he tried to hold back angry tears. Dee looked up, as she was about to leave again, before stopping, noticing Dennis’ state. “Dennis?”

“What?” Dennis snapped, looking down at the bar. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and chewed the inside of his lip. 

“What in God’s name is the matter with you?” She asked, not even bothering to hide her genuine concern. “I haven’t seen you like this since Maureen Ponderosa broke up with you in high school...” she trailed off, before realising. “Mac, right?”

Dennis grunted. 

“What happened?”

“I fucked up, didn’t I?” Dennis mumbled, vigorously wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Tears had started to form, which was exceptionally rare for the man. 

Dee frowned and came and sat next to him. She didn’t know what to do to comfort him, so she asked questions instead. 

“How?”

“I was going for a different approach,” Dennis said quietly. “Making him jealous wasn’t working. He started beating me at my own game, and took this gay dude home last night.”

“So what did you do differently today?”

“I figured I’d make him pine for me by distancing myself,” Dennis admitted, to which Dee scoffed, but said nothing, letting him continue. “But he confronted me and I panicked. And uh, I almost called him a faggot. I didn’t- but he picked up on it and called me out. And he got really upset, and yelled at me and-“

“No offence, Dennis,” Dee interrupted. “You can’t call somebody that word, especially not Mac, and then expect them to not react badly.”

“I know,” he sighed. “I don’t know what I was thinking. You should’ve see the look on his face, Dee.”

“Well, you need to apologise to him.”

“What? Are you mad?” Dennis scoffed, sniffing. “I need to keep up what I’ve started.”

Dee spluttered, stunned. 

“So you want to keep being a homophobic robot? Yeah dude, that’ll totally work,” she spoke sarcastically, shaking her head. “You’ve got to apologise, and then you’ve got to be fucking honest with him about how you feel. No more of these games.”

“I can’t tell him how I feel straight away. He’d just be angry if I did that.”

“Well yeah, you need to wait a few weeks. Hell, even months,” she said, to which Dennis groaned. “Hey bozo, you did this to yourself. Calling the dude you like a faggot? When you’re queer yourself? That’s a whole new low, dude.”

“Not helping, Dee,” Dennis exclaimed, finally taking his head out of his hands and gesticulating wildly with them.

Dee sighed heavily, putting her hand on Dennis’ shoulder. He shrugged it off immediately. “Dennis, you have to apologise.”

“I know, I know...” Dennis trailed off, massaging his head stressfully. “I think I just need to give up. Mac won’t forgive me after that. After all these months of trying to win him over my way... I think I’m realising-“ 

“That being cruel to him won’t work?”

“Something like that,” he sighed regretfully. “Right.”

“What?” 

“I’m going to uh... apologise,” he stood up from the barstool, blinking a few times, before shaking his head, taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes. “Does it look like I’ve been crying?”

“Yup.”

“Great,” he groaned, reaching into his pocket for foundation powder he kept on him at all times. He met Dee’s eyes, and she shook her head. 

“Don’t cover it up. Mac wants you to be genuine, not fake. For once, do the right thing.”


	4. Chapter 4

Dennis, cautiously and with an inherent, burning anxiety raging with him, opened the door to their flat. Gently, he closed the door behind him, and looked up. Mac was laying face down on the sofa, listening to Hozier from the speaker on his phone.

Dennis said nothing as he approached the sofa, sitting on the floor before where Mac’s feet rested.

“I guess you’re here to apologise,” Mac mumbled. 

“Yeah,” Dennis replied quietly. “Can I bare my heart to you a minute, man?”

“Do what you want,” Mac retorted. Dennis sighed, and rested his head against Mac’s shin. Mac shook him off - this hurt Dennis, but he brushed it off. 

“I’ve been... horrible to you for the last few months. Especially in these last days,” Dennis admitted. Mac said nothing, giving Dennis room to continue. “I suppose now is a good time to admit that I was using those girls to get to you, bro.”

“It didn’t get to me.”

“Obviously it did, and I’m sorry for it,”

“Oh, you’re sorry,” Mac scoffed. “Great, you’re forgiven.”

“Really?”

“No, dipshit,” Mac said, looking up finally. He pushed himself into a sitting position. “You’ve been acting like a total douche to me for over a year. And then you go to call me a faggot? When you God damn know how much I struggled with my sexuality for so long? No. You’re not fucking forgiven.”

“But I...” Dennis trailed off. Mac glared at him as he pushed himself off the floor onto the sofa. “Look dude, I need to be a bit more honest, I think.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, I think,” Dennis agreed. “I’ve been worried that I’m losing my best friend. And I don’t know how else to deal with it than to lash out and ignore you. My fucking brain isn’t wired to be able to deal with things like this.”

“Things like what, Dennis?” Mac snapped. “The only reason you feel like you’re losing me is because you’ve been pushing me away. If you weren’t doing that, there wouldn’t be a problem - I’ve been trying to prove myself to you and reconnect with you for two fucking years, and this is what I get? It’s pathetic.” Mac stood up from the sofa, and began to walk to his room. Dennis hastily stood up and followed him, grabbing his shoulder. Mac stopped, and turned to face him. 

“Mac,” Dennis tried, almost softly. He was exhausted, and didn’t have the energy to keep up his high and mighty facade. “Dude, listen-“

“No, Dennis. You listen,” Mac gave Dennis a dangerous look. “You need to fucking sort yourself. I don’t know what the Hell it is, but it needs to stop. I’m not a fucking toy that you can just throw in the bin, I’m your roommate and, at least I thought, your best friend. Obviously that just doesn’t do it for you, does it? So you can come in here waving your little flings around to shove it in my face that you don’t need me - well guess what? You do need me. You came crawling back to me after realising you’d crossed a line. So sort it the fuck out.”

“I’m... yeah. I’m sorry,” Dennis said. “I don’t know how to make it up to you.”

“You treat me like you always used to, that’s how,” Mac frowned. “I miss that.”

“I miss it too.”

“Then why’d you change?”

“Because...” Dennis trailed off. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Seriously?” 

“Sorry dude I just... I can’t go into that.”

“Fine, then shove the apology up your tight little asshole. I’m not interested,” Mac said, closing the conversation. “Good-fucking-night.” And so, he opened his bedroom door and slammed it behind him. 

Dennis stood, stunned. He did nothing for a moment, before knocking on Mac’s door gently. 

“Mac? Come on,” he tried. “I don’t want to end the conversation like this.” No response. Dennis knocked once more. “Please, Mac?” No response again. He gave up, and walked away from Mac’s door. Honestly, he felt like crying - he wasn’t going to though. Maybe they both needed to sleep it off and start afresh in the morning. 

With that thought, Dennis made his way to his own bedroom, and turned in for the night. 

The next morning, Dennis awoke to a knock on his door. He groaned, absolutely exhausted, having spent the night trying to sleep and failing because his mind had been on his and Mac’s conversation. He’d cried into his pillow until he’d fallen asleep, although he wasn’t proud to admit this. He was unaware of how puffy and tumultuous his eyes were until Mac entered, without waiting for a response. 

“Dennis,” Mac poked his head round the door, to see Dennis shielding the artificial light from his eyes. It was late autumn, so although it was seven in the morning, it was still dark, and the light from their living room was a shock to the system. 

“What?” Dennis grunted, trying to sit himself in a more receptive position. 

“I feel like I was harsh last night,” Mac began, before watching Dennis retrieve the hand from his eyes. They were swollen red, and Mac frowned deeply. “Dude, have you been crying?”

Dennis spluttered, looking away in disdain. “No.”

“Yes you have,” Mac snapped, before softening. “Is it because I was a dick?”

“You weren’t a dick, Mac,” Dennis sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You were totally granted to say the things you did.”

“I kinda went too far-“

“And so did I when I went to call you a faggot, dude. Look,” he pulled he sheet up to his chest as he straightened, sitting up. “I was trying to provoke you on purpose.”

“But why?” Mac asked, closing the door behind and leaning against the frame. “I don’t understand why you’d want to push me away. Am I seriously that annoying?”

“You can be annoying, sure,” Dennis admitted. “But I was pushing you away because I was scared.”

“Of what?”

Dennis hesitated. 

“Dennis?” Mac asked earnestly, desperate for the truth, finally. 

“It’s kinda hard to explain.”

“I’ve got all day,” said Mac, but Dennis shook his head. 

“I’ll talk about it, I promise,” Dennis reasoned. “Just... not right now.”

Mac was about to ask ‘why not?’ but stopped himself. If this ‘truth’ was what Mac was hoping for, he was willing to let Dennis ride it out and tell him in his own time. That is, of course, if Dennis was thinking of confessing to him. It would make sense, but Mac still had a little bit of doubt in the back of his mind. 

“Okay. Later.”


	5. Chapter 5

“God, you look awful Dennis,” Dee commented as Mac and Dennis walked through the door of the bar. 

“Shut up, bitch,” Dennis scoffed, aware that Mac was stood right beside him. He couldn’t be earnest and honest with Dee whilst Mac was still there. Dee, who would’ve normally snapped back, noticed the state of Dennis and elected to stay quiet.

“Hey Dee, where’s Charlie and Frank?” Mac asked.

“How should I know? Haven’t seen them all morning,” said Dee. Mac shrugged his jacket off to reveal a t-shirt, with the words ‘salty dog’ written across it, with the sleeves cut off. His biceps looked firm as Hell, Dennis thought to himself, and wondered to himself how it would feel to be held by them. 

“Huh,” said Mac, shrugging, before heading behind the bar to get a beer. He was acting pretty casually, considering the circumstances. Dennis sat at the bar, and Dee gave him a perplexed look, to which Dennis simply shrugged, trying to be as subtle as possible so as not to confuse Mac.

“Dee, I need to show you something,” Dennis announced. “On the... computer. In the office.”

“Yes dipshit, I know where the computer is,” Dee rolled her eyes, before following Dennis into the back office. She closed the door behind them, and faced Dennis, hands on her hips. “What happened?”

“Well, I apologised,” he shrugged. “He didn’t take it all that well. Although I’m not sure I apologised very well, in hindsight.”

“Naturally,” Dee scoffed, to which Dennis narrowed his eyes sourly. 

“We got into this fight, and the reason I look so shit is because I was up all night. It was on my mind,” Dennis said. 

“Crying?”

“Psh, no,” he waved it off, to which Dee punched his shoulder. 

“You totally were,” she taunted. “It doesn’t matter, either way. What happened this morning? Because the way Mac is acting doesn’t indicate a bigass fight.”

“He knocked on my door and came to apologise, for some God forsaken reason.”

“Probably because you always make him feel like he’s in the wrong,” Dee quirked an eyebrow. Dennis ignored this remark. 

“Anyway, we had a sensible chat and uh, we’re gonna sort it out properly later.”

“And you’re gonna tell him how you feel?”

“Maybe. If it’s appropriate.”

“Well don’t be too keen, it might be too soon after you called him, you know, a faggot.”

“Nearly called him a faggot,” Dennis corrected. “Not my proudest moment.

“Evidently not,” Dee chuckled drily. “Well, good luck. Mac can be intense. I don’t really know what you see in him.”

“I see a lot in him,” Dennis muttered, rubbing his forehead. 

“That’s great,” Dee tutted sarcastically. “Then prove it to him.”

Dennis swallowed a lump in his throat. 

“Yeah, you’re right,” he sighed. “You’re right.”

“I always am.”

“Bitch,” Dennis mumbled under his breath, before exiting the back office. 

***

It had been a long day. For the first time in months, Paddy’s was actually quite busy. It was a good distraction, for Dennis at least, so by the time the evening had come to a close and they were locking up, his mind had settled back into normality. Dee was wiping down the bar. 

“You two go,” Dee said. “I’ll finish up here.”

“Uh, okay,” Mac frowned in confusion. “Why are you being nice?”

Dee half-smiled, looking between Mac and Dennis. 

“Just go. Piss off, go on,” she waved them away, shooing them towards the door. And so, Mac a little perplexed, the two of them headed to the door and exited through it. 

“She’s acting weird today,” Mac said as they made their way to Dennis’ car. “Is it just me?”

“She always acts weird,” Dennis said. “Stupid bitch.”

Mac chuckled under his breath, climbing into the passenger seat. 

“So,” said Mac as Dennis closed the car door, putting his seatbelt on and exhaling. “You gonna talk to me, dude?”

“I guess,” Dennis turned the key in ignition. “I did promise.”

“Yeah, you did,” Mac raised an eyebrow. The car started, and Dennis began to drive. “You said you were afraid. What are you afraid of?”

“It’s kinda hard to explain, but you know. Bare with me, bro,” Dennis said, chewing the inside of his lip. “I’m scared of you, mostly.”

“Of me?!” Mac exclaimed. 

“Well, not exactly. Like I said. Just bare with me.”

“Okay, okay. Go on.”

“I’m scared of you, in the sense that you’ve finally got your life together,” he began, braking as they approached a red light. “I’m scared of you, because you’re the only person I can really trust fully.”

Mac frowned sadly. 

“I’m scared of you, because...” Dennis drove the car forward as the light turned green, heading down a main road. “Because even though we’ve been friends since the beginning of high school, you still...” he trailed off, helplessly. 

“Den?”

“You still make me feel things.”

“What things?”

“What things do you think, bozo?” Dennis snapped, looking intently at the road before him. 

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“What do you think I’m saying?” Dennis asked gently. 

“I think... I think you might be telling me that you like me. You don’t hate me,” Mac suggested. “For the record, I like you too.”

“No, Jesus Christ dude, you’re not getting it,” Dennis groaned, frustratedly. “Do I have to spell it out for you?”

“I... maybe?”

“I like you, dipshit. In a gay kinda way,” Dennis said, quietly but loud enough for Mac to hear, to understand. 

“Please don’t prank me right now, dude,” Mac said dejectedly. Dennis said nothing for a moment, turning down the road where their block of flats were situated. “That’s just not fair.”

“I’m not, I’m...” Dennis trailed off, parking the car. He turned the engine off, and sighed. “I’m not pranking you.”

“You’re not?”

“No. Promise,” he said quietly. 

“Oh, well. Okay,” Mac bit his lip, looking into his lap. “Well, for the record... I like you too.”

Dennis was quiet. 

“I was hoping that you do,” Dennis finally raised his voice to a normal speaking volume. “That’s good.”

“Yeah?”

“Well yeah,” Dennis chuckled, exhaling - he had only just realised he had been holding his breath. “It’d kinda suck if you didn’t.”

“Are things gonna change?”

“I hope so,” said Dennis. “I won’t bring any more chicks home, I’ll start being better to you, we can be... how we want to be. Without barriers. I guess what I’m saying is that yes, things will change. But you know... for the better.”

“I quite like that,” said Mac warmly. “Let’s go inside. Sitting in the car is weird.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

And so the two, a little awkwardly, left the car and made their way up to the apartment. Neither of them shared any more words - the situation had turned into one even more awkward than before, something that Dennis was hoping to avoid. 

They were sat on the sofa watching Die Hard. Mac finally spoke up after hours of nothing but small talk. 

“You meant it, didn’t you?”

“Yes, asshole, we established that,” Dennis chuckled, looking across to Mac. “You’re not gonna believe me for a while, are you?”

“I just... I just think it’s weird to call your gay crush a faggot. That’s all.”

Dennis held eye contact with Mac for a moment, before looking away, almost ashamed. 

“I really am sorry. I said that because I’m repressed as Hell and I knew it would upset you.”

“Right,” Mac sighed. 

“How can I prove myself to you?” Dennis asked, all barriers and walls that he’d built up painstakingly for over 40 years were crumbling as he spoke to the dumbass before him. 

“Hah, the tables are turning,” Mac chuckled, kind of warmly. “I’ve always been the one trying to prove myself to you, not the other way round.”

“Well, dipshit, I think it’s high time I made the effort,” Dennis frowned. “Seriously, you don’t believe me, right? What can I do to change that?”

“Well...” Mac hummed, placing a finger on his bottom lip. “I mean, if you really wanted to prove you felt the way you claim...”

“What? Come on, bro, spit it out.”

“Kiss me.”

“Kiss you?”

“Yeah,” Mac said simply. “If you’re lying, you won’t do that. I know you. So, if you’re telling the truth, kiss me.”

“God, you’re such a fucking teenager dude,” Dennis laughed drily, looking into his lap, trying to hide the fact that he was frozen, terrified. Of course, he wanted to kiss Mac. But it was scary. Everything about this exchange was scary. A couple of moments passed, when Mac sighed. 

“Knew it,” he sighed, folding his arms in annoyance. “I don’t know why you couldn’t just- mmph!”

Dennis had leaned forward and immediately, with no warning at all, kissed Mac firmly on the lips, cutting off his train of thought completely. Dennis was nervous, his hands shaking a little as he firmly pressed his closed lips against Mac’s. 

Dennis pulled away, but not far. Their faces were close, noses almost touching. 

“You meant it.”

“I know,” said Dennis quietly. 

“You’re a terrible kisser.”

“I’m not normally,” Dennis breathed shakily. “You make me nervous.”

“I don’t want to make you nervous,” Mac frowned, cautiously bringing his hand up to Dennis’ neck. Dennis felt warm, immediately. Comforted, considerably by Mac’s soft actions. “Hey.”

“What?”

“I’m really glad you told me,” Mac whispered, half-smiling. 

Dennis closed his eyes, taking a moment to feel close to Mac, closer than ever before. As close as he’d always wanted to be, deep down. And so, with comfort from Mac and a small burst of confidence, he leaned in once more and kissed Mac again, but this time, like he would anybody else. Except with a little more meaning - it was Mac, after all. 

Mac smiled against Dennis’ soft lips, kissing him back gently. This time, their lips moved, and after a minute or so, their tongues. It was a very calming situation. Nothing was heated, nothing was desperate. It was just warm, and Dennis felt like he’d been waiting his whole life for this. 

This was the first time Dennis had felt satisfied with any type of romance. This wasn’t wildly sexual, this wasn’t a part of a scheme or a system. This was just two men who’d spent over 25 years together, finally admitting to each other that actually? This was meant to be. No more repression, no more denial. 

This was simply meant to be.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac and Dennis were sat on the sofa, watching a flogging show on the television out of sheer boredom. Mac was resting his head against Dennis’ shoulder, and Dennis had his arm wrapped around Mac. 

“Den,” Mac said quietly, loud enough to get his attention but quiet enough so as not to wake him - Mac couldn’t tell whether he was asleep or not. Dennis hummed in response. “How long?”

“How long what?” Dennis asked. 

“How long have you liked me?”

Dennis frowned to himself, not responding immediately. He thought for a moment, before choosing his response carefully. 

“A long time. But I only really admitted it to myself recently.”

“How long is a long time?”

“25 years,” said Dennis, almost silently. 

“Dude,” Mac sat up, hesitantly lifting his head from Dennis’ shoulder to make eye contact with him. “That’s so long.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Dennis chuckled, shaking his head. “What about you? How long have you liked me?”

“I don’t know when it started because I was so repressed for so long. But when I started questioning my sexuality, I suppose,” said Mac. “To be honest, liking you was the reason I started questioning it in the first place.”

“That’s... kinda cool,” Dennis hummed. “I was really the reason you realised you were gay?”

“Well yeah, I had the big gay feelings for you, bro.”

“Dude,” Dennis laughed gently. “How long ago did you start questioning it then? Was it like, in the arbitration office and you just realised in a split second or was it a gradual thing?”

“A gradual thing, for sure,” Mac admitted. “I started thinking about it when I was about thirty so like... I don’t know, is that about ten-ish years ago?”

“Basic maths, bro,” Dennis teased. Mac punched Dennis’ shoulder, mock-angry. “Does this whole thing make me gay?”

“Well, at least bisexual,” Mac said, leaning back into Dennis’ shoulder. Dennis hummed thoughtfully. “Do you still like girls?”

“I only really like you,” Dennis said, if a little embarrassed. “But I’m attracted to both, I suppose. I think. I don’t really know.”

“Well you don’t have to know,” Mac reassured. “Hey, subject change, but I have a question.”

“Shoot,” said Dennis. 

“Does Dee know about you liking me?” Mac asked. “Is that why she’s been acting all weird around me?”

Dennis sighed. 

“Yeah, dude.”

“I thought you guys hated each other.”

“At surface level, sure, we hate each other,” Dennis shrugged. “But she’s my sister, you know? I needed somebody to talk to about it or I would’ve burst. And we both know that telling Charlie would’ve been a terrible idea.”

“That’s fair,” Mac hummed. “I love that little man but he’s not very trustworthy with private stuff. Or at least, he’s not smart enough to be trustworthy,” he snuggled into Dennis’ arm, slipping his hand down into Dennis’. “How long has Dee known?”

“A couple of months,” Dennis said. “You remember Dee day?”

“All too well.”

“I told her that evening, when it was just me and her left at the bar. After you’d been reassuring that I looked okay even without my makeup and hair styled... I was fit to burst. Dude I just, I needed to vent it to somebody, you know?”

“Yeah, bro. I understand,” Mac smiled to himself, comforted in the fact that Dennis was admitting to all these emotions. “We should turn the TV off. I don’t care about people selling jewellery.”

“Tell me about it, so boring,” Dennis said, reaching for the remote and turning the television off. They were left in silence, when Mac sat up a little, still holding Dennis’ hand and still exceptionally close, but no longer resting on his shoulder. 

“Den,” Mac said, to which Dennis looked across at him. 

“Yeah, Mac?”

“I was just thinking, you know, if you’d want to be like my boyfriend. Like, being official and shit.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” Dennis nodded simply. “Okay.”

Mac smiled to himself, nodding. 

“Sweet.”

They were quiet for a moment, but it wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward. 

“Wanna kiss your new boyfriend?” Dennis looked at Mac, quirking his eyebrow. 

“Duh,” Mac shuffled so one of his legs was intertwined with Dennis’. Dennis took initiative as Mac’s lips neared, and cupped his jaw tenderly, pausing for a very brief moment before letting their lips meet, softly. 

It was pretty good, Dennis thought to himself. It felt a bit different to any of his other kisses with previous women - maybe it was Mac’s stubble that brushed against his chin and cheeks, maybe it was the fact that there was a long standing history of feelings for the man in his arms. Best friends, boyfriends, whatever you wanted to call it. This thing that was happening, it was different, but it was certainly welcomed by both men. They took their time with each other. It was... it was nice. 

It was so nice. 

The next day, Mac and Dennis walked into the bar together, making their way over to the bar. They were standing to close the backs of their hands brushed, although they were acting totally normally otherwise. Dee came in from the back office, beer in hand, and smiled at the two men. She made eye contact with Dennis, who half-smiled, nodding. 

“Hey, lovebirds,” Dee smirked. “Come back here. Frank and Charlie got matching tattoos, you gotta see them.”

And so, things were totally normal. Nothing was really different besides the noticeable new lack of tension. Charlie and Frank didn’t need telling, they didn’t even raise an eyebrow as Mac and Dennis ogled over their terrible tattoos, pinky fingers hooked around each other’s. This development wasn’t a surprise to anybody. This made Mac, and equally Dennis, exceptionally happy. 

All was well.


End file.
